Nonwoven fabrics are used in a wide variety of applications where the engineered qualities of the fabrics can be advantageously employed. The use of selected thermoplastic polymers in the construction of the fibrous fabric component, selected treatment of the fibrous component (either while in fibrous form or in an integrated structure), and selected use of various mechanisms by which the fibrous component is integrated into a useful fabric, are typical variables by which to adjust and alter the performance of the resultant nonwoven fabric.
Disposable hygiene products and personal protective apparel, readily employ nonwoven fabrics in their respective constructions. Such nonwoven fabrics come into intimate contact with the human skin for prolonged periods of time. The comfort of the product is subsequently directly attributed to the way in which the product touches the skin, the weight of the product as it is worn, and the ability of the product to conform and adapt to changes in user position. In acknowledgment of the importance of the product/human interface, conventional nonwoven fabric manufactures have gone to great efforts to improved the tactile and ductile performance of their fabrics.
Two general approaches to improving the comfort of a nonwoven fabric include chemical and mechanical alteration. Representative prior art to the use of chemical alteration of the nonwoven fabric are: U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,979, to Roe et al., teaches to the use of a first and a second skin care composition to effect the comfort of a disposable diaper; and applicants' co-pending application, directed to the use of a two-part fatty acid amide melt additive, involves the introduction of the melt additive into the nonwoven fabric during manufacture. Mechanical alteration has been presented in the prior art in such forms as compressive technologies (MICREXING is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,260,778; 3,416,192; 3,810,280, 4,090,385; and 4,717,329) and alternate nonwoven fabric formation technologies (as typified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,413 to Nilsson, et al.).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,737, to Willey et al., directed to a multilayered barrier fabric, teaches a nonwoven fabric having differential aesthetic properties obtained by the necessary incorporation of barrier meltblown layer. Such a laminate as taught by Willey et al., includes a significant quantity of meltblown material, and a significant overall laminate basis weight, so as to render the material suitable for independent use in medical applications.
There remains an unmet need for a lightweight, durable nonwoven fabric, which can be used in improving the comfort of hygiene, medical and industrial products, which does not necessarily involve the use of additional additives or complex manufacturing procedures, and which does not adversely affect the performance of the construct or product to which it is adjoined.